Effect of Spinal Manipulative Therapy on the Singing Voice.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) on the singing voice of male individuals. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, case-crossover trial. METHODS: Twenty-nine subjects were selected among male members of the Heralds of the Gospel. This association was chosen because it is a group of persons with similar singing activities. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (A) chiropractic SMT procedure and (B) nontherapeutic transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) procedure. Recordings of the singing voice of each participant were taken immediately before and after the procedures. After a 14-day period, procedures were switched between groups: participants who underwent SMT on the first day were subjected to TENS and vice versa. Recordings were subjected to perceptual audio and acoustic evaluations. The same recording segment of each participant was selected. Perceptual audio evaluation was performed by a specialist panel (SP). Recordings of each participant were randomly presented thus making the SP blind to intervention type and recording session (before/after intervention). Recordings compiled in a randomized order were also subjected to acoustic evaluation. RESULTS: No differences in the quality of the singing on perceptual audio evaluation were observed between TENS and SMT. CONCLUSIONS: No differences in the quality of the singing voice of asymptomatic male singers were observed on perceptual audio evaluation or acoustic evaluation after a single spinal manipulative intervention of the thoracic and cervical spine.

Quiropraxia / Chiropractic

Este artigo de revisão apresenta a quiropraxia, uma profissão na área da saúde que se ocupa do diagnóstico, tratamento e prevenção de condições neuromusculoesqueléticas, em especial algias vertebrais e sintomas associados. São abordadas inicialmente a definição e área da atuação, seguindo-se uma revisão da história da profissão no Brasil e no mundo. A formção profissional, que consiste de cursos superiores com quatro anos de duração é discutida. São apresentados os dois cursos superiores de Quiropraxia em atividade no Brasil, sua história e importância para a implantação da profissão no país. A avaliação biomecânica realizada por quiropraxistas é descrita, em especial técnicas de palpação articular, bem como os métodos terapêuticos utilizados por quiropraxistas, em especial a utilização de técnicas de terapia manual. A terapia de manipulação articular e seus efeitos fisiológicos são detalhados. Contra indicações e complicações são discutidos. Por fim, é feita uma breve revisão da literatura relativa a estudos clínicos sobre a eficácia do tratamento com quiropraxia.

This is a review about Chiropractic, a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system, with a special emphasis on the treatment of vertebral pain and associated symptoms. The profession is initially defined and an overview of the history of chiropractic in the world as well as in Brazil is presented. Professional education, consisting of four years of university-level graduation programs is described. The two chiropractic programs in activity in Brazil are presented and their importance to the establishment of the profession in this country is discussed. The biomechanical evaluation performed by chiropractors is explained, with special emphasis on techniques of joint palpation. Treatment procedures used by chiropractors are summarized, particularly techniques of manual therapy. Spinal manipulation therapy and its physiological effects are then detailed. Contra-indications and complications are discussed. Finally, a brief review of the medical literature with respect to clinical trials on the efficacy of chiropractic therapy for the treatment of specific conditions is outlined.